Illuminated sign



Sept. 1, 1931.

J. w. KELLY ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed Sept. 26, 1929 atented gept. '1 Bl UNITED ,STATES PATENT orncr.

JOHN W. KELLY, F ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA ILLUMINATED SIGN 1 Application filed September 26, 1929. Serial no. 395,339.

greater extent than others, so that the re-,

sult'ant effect is anythin but pleasing and eflicient. Especially is this true in the case of signs which depend for their visiblity on their E5 translucence or transparence, wherein the sign is positioned between the source of light and the observer. a 1

It is thereforea primary consideration in putting my invention into operation, to provide means between the line source of light and the observer to spread outand uniformly diffuse the'light emanating from the source 1 over an area of considerable extent, the exact extent of course dependin on the dimensions of the sign. 1T0 this em? I provide a glass plate having a plurality of ribs parallel to eachother and dispose, adjacent to the plate,

a source of light, in the form, for example, of an incandescent lamp having an elongated i0 filament, in which example the plate is positioned with the ribs thereof parallel .to the filament. I have found byexperience that there is no spreading out of the light when .the ribs are normal to the filament and that 5 whentheyare parallel thereto the spreading is at a maximum. At all angles between the;

two positions just mentioned the spreading effect v'aries between the two extremes mentioned. I have found also that the ribs, while having the desired "spreading effect above 7 outlined, present the defect that they show up aplu'ralityof regions of alternating hi h and low light, intenslty. To obviate this eature and present a substantially uniform area of light, I provide, either by a separate piece of glass or on the same glass but on the side oposite to the ribs, a stippled, mottled or" eaded effect; I have found that this mot tl ing or stippling has the desired effect, namely, of further refracting and uniformly tion.

diffusing the light passing through the late, thus assuring uni orm illumination 0 the character of the sign by overcoming the tend-' ency of the ribs to produce the aforementioned regions of varying intensities.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention reference may be had to the followin description and accompanying drawings, w erein-'- igure 1 1s a view in elevation of a sign to be illuminated in accordance with my inven- Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional view showing the detailed construction, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, certain of-the parts being shown in elevation.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the-line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 represents a modified form of the invention, wherein the sign is oblique] disposed "with respect to the light di using screen and source of light/the light being reflected from the sign to the observer instead of being transmitted to the observer through the characters of the sign.

Figure 5. is a fragmentary view in elevation of another form of sign constructed in l accordance with the present invention and;

which is adapted for use in accordance with the arrangement illustrated in Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, the surface of the sign A, as illustrated, is formed of transparent or translucent letters stenciled in an opaque field.- Of course whether the letters are in fact stenciled or otherwise formed is of no'materiality so long as light encounters no difl iculty in passing therethrough. An incandescent lamp 2having an elongated filament 3 constituting an ,elon ated source of light is connected to a suita le socket 4 which isconnected to a source of electricity by means of wiring 5. This source of light is substantially the height dimension of the sign. Disposed intermediate lamp 2 and the sign A is a plate 6 of translucentor transparent glass having a ribbed surface 7 facing) thQ 'lamp.2 and a mottled or "beaded s'urface 8 facing the sign A. A casi ng or boxBen; 'closes the apparatus and is, provided with; 'flange 9 cooperating with channel idiom-1 'ing a guideway and pocket for the sign A.

Disposed on the other side of the plate 6 is a flange 11 which cooperates with the channel -to form a guideway and pocket for. the plate 6. The casin has a removable top 12 and the sign A an plate 6 are slidable into and out of position. With the filament 3 of the lamp 2 illustrated, a pencil-like beam of light is presented at the plate 6 and is spread over a considerable area. The light passing through the body of the plate 6 consists of alternating regions of high and low intensities-of illumination. The rough surface 8 spreads the regions of greater luminosity over those of less luminosity so that the light reaching the sign A is of substantially uniform intensity throughout its area. Thus the light reaching and passing through the sign A covers an area sufficient to render the whole of the sign visible to the observer and all parts of the sign are illuminated to substantially the same degree.

While in the referred embodiment of my invention the rib portion? faces the light source and the roughened or mottled portion 8 faces the. sign, a similar effect may be obtained by reversing the positions of these surfaces. Moreover, I consider it within the scope of my invention to place the sign A between'the lamp 3 and' the plate 6,'if so desired. While I have illustrated a single lamp, it is to be understood that a plurality of lamps in substantially parallel relation closer to the sign, greater luminosity at the I sign results.

' I have found that the spreading effect produced by the plate for a'given light source intensity is dependent, among other things, on the size and number of ribs in a given length. Accordingly, the effect can be varied by arranging the parts to 'suit the need or desire. Moreover, the desired colored effect may be obtainedin any one of numerous Ways as by providing a lamp whose glass is colored, or by coloring the light spreading plate, or the characters composing the sign.

7 My novel device is capable of arrangement ffor display purposes wherein light from the Q 9 as described hereinabove, is reflected from source, instead of passing through the sign,

the such anevent, the light source and the spreading or'diffu'sing plate and the 'observer, may be on the same side of the sign. The signin'such an arrangement would pref-' erably be of a highly reflective nature, through, of course, the intensity of reflected llght will depend also on the intensity of the light source, the spreading or diffusing medium, and the arrangement of the parts.

In Figure 4 I have shown such an arrangement. In this modification I provide a lamp 2 and space therefrom a plate 6 provided with a ribbed portion 7 and stippled or roughened portion 8, the ribs 7 being substantially parallel to the lamp 2'. Disposed at an angle to the plate 6 is a reflecting sign C having the characters or letters 12 thereof mirrored as by silvering, the remainder 13 of the sign constituting the'field upon which the sign characters are carried, being covered as by paint, the letters being highly light-reflecting while the field is light absorbing. The pencil of light at the lamp 2 after passing plate 6 is spread out into a considerable area by the ribs 7 and the shadows formed by said ribs are overcome by the stippledor roughened surface 8 as heretofore described so that all parts of the letters forming the characters of the' sign receive substantially the same amount of light which is reflected outwardly due to the an ularity of the sign C so that it may be seen y an observer. If I so desire,

I may interpose a sign such as A in Figures 1, 2, and 3 between the plates 6 and C. In

such event the-light will pass'through the sign A just as it does as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 and the light after passing the sign A will take the form of the letters in the sign A and will be projected toward C and reflected from C to the observer. In this case C would be entirely silvered.

It is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited to an incandescent lamp as a light source, but that any unitary or local source of light such as is furnished by gas or other substance may be employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an illuminated display of the class described, a sign, alamp adapted to project a pencil beam'of light toward said sign, a plate extending substantially parallel to said sign intermediate the latter and the source of lightand provided with means for spreading the pencil beam to an'area corresponding in size to that of the sign, said means comprising spreading means on'one surface of the.

plate and diffusing means for uniformly diflusing the spread light in all directions on the opposite surface.

2. The method of producing uniform illumination of an object which comprises projecting apencil beam of light from an elongated source of illumination directly toward the object, dispersing the said pencil beam over a substantial region of an area substantially that of the object, uniformly intensifying and dispersing the light in all directions,

' parts ofthe sign and subjecting theobject to be illuminated to the thus uniformly intensified anddispersed light. n

3.. The method of illuminating a si consists in projecting a pencil eam of light from an elongated source directly toward the sign,'spreading the light by refraction to an area corresponding to the area of the signto be illuminated, and uniformly intensif ing and dispersing the area of light in all irections to substantially eliminate variations in the light intensity, whereby all will be substantially uni-' formlv illuminated. Y

4. he method illuminating a sign which comprises subjecting the sign to a pencil beam of light emanating from an elongated source corresponding in dimension to one dimension of the sign to be illuminated, s reading the beam so as to cover an area su stantially corres onding to the other-dimension of the sign, an then uniformly intensifying and dispersingthe s'aid beam so as to produce uniformity of illumination over the sign area.

5. A device for producin uniform illumination comprising the com ination with an object to be. illuminated, of an elongated source of light, transparent means for uniformly diffusing in all directions by refraction the rays of light emanatin from the source to produce thereby a re ion of uniform intensity of light at the object to be illuminated, and means for intensifying and uniformly dispersing the diffused light.

6. A device for producing uniform illumination comprising the combination with an object to .be illuminated, of an elongated source of light, and a 1i ht transmitting plate having ribs on one sur acc to first diffuse the beams of light emanating from the source and havingbeads on the other surface to uniformly intensify anddisperse in all di-' rections the light so diffused and transmitted through the plate. 4

7. In an illuminated display ofthe class. described, a .sign, a cylindrical 'elon ated source of light to project a'pencil-like cam toward the sign, and a light transmitting plate-extending substantially parallel to the sign and having ribs on one side 'of the plate for spreading the pencil beam to an area of light corresponding in size to that of the sign.

'8. In an illuminated dis lay of the class described, a sign, ail'amp o elongated tubular form fhrsprojecting a pencil beam of.

light toward the said sign, and means fordiffusing the light over an areaof substantially uni-form intensitywhereby .all parts of thesign will be substantially uniformly illumi- --nated, the said ineans including a transparent member havinga beaded surface on one side and a iihbedfs'urfaceon the-other side of the .Yt QmKarGQt niem elfgjgh ibb v Surface ace spurge; spreading the light which i from the source uniformly over the, area of the sign.

9. In an illuminated display of the class described, a,sign, a tubular lamp having an elongated filament for projecting a pencil beamof light toward the si n, a device extending substantially paralle to the sign and intermediate the same and the source of light, the device havin means on oneside for spreading the penci beam of light to an area of light-corresponding in size to that of the sign, the means comprising ribsarranged substantiallyparallel to the light source, and means on the other side for uniformly intensifyin and dispersing the light, the means inclu ing a beaded surface on the device,

the beaded surface receiving the spread light 'by transmission through-the device.

10. As a. new article of manufacture, a

light refracting member having on one sur-:

lel to the said sign and intermediate the same and a source of light, the said device being transparent and having means for spreading the said pencil-like beam of light to an area of light corresponding in size to that of the sign, the said means comprising ribs formed in one side of the device, the ribs being arranged substantially parallel to the light source.

12. Asa new article of manufacture, a light transmitting late havin on one surface a plurality parallel ribs and light intensifying and dispersing means'on the opposite surface, the light intensifying and dispersing means comprising a series of beadlike projections having spherical surfaces, the projections being in substantially uniform contact with each other.

13. As a newarticle of manufacture, a

transparent light refracting member having formed in one surface a plurality of parallel ribs, the other surface being provided with light intensifying and dispersing means opposite the ribs and comprising a plurality of transparent bead-like projections having spherical surfaces which uniformly intensify and disperse light transmitted thereto throughthe member from a source of light and projeet the thus dispersed light upon ari object to beilluminate 14. In an illuminated display of theclass I described, a sign, an elongated cylindrical shaped lamp adapted to projecta pencil-like Ibeam towardthe'said sign, and a light transspherical surfaces,

mp for pro- 'mitting plate extending substantially parallel to the sign, the plate having ribs on one side for spreading thepencil beam to :an area of light corresponding in'size to that of the 5 sign, the ribs extending substantially parallel to the lam 15; In an illuminated display ofthe class described, a sign, an elongated lamp for projecting a pencil beam of light toward said m slgn, and means for diffusing said light over anarea of substantially uniform intensity of light whereby all parts of the sign will be substantially uniformly illuminated, said means including a light transmitting mem 15 her having a beaded surface on one side and a ribbed surface on the other side of the. transparent member, the ribbed surface fac- 7 ing the light source, the ribs being substantially parallel thereto. i

16. An illuminated display of the class described comprising, in combination, a slgn, a tubular lamp-having a single elongated filament for a li h't source for-projecting a pencil beam of l ght toward said sign, a. device 25 extending substantially parallel to'said sign and intermediate the same andthe-source of light, said device having means on one side for spreading'thepencilbeam of light in a lateral direction to an area of light correaospon'ding in size to that of the sign, said means comprising ribs arranged substantial 1y parallel to the said elongated light source and means on the other side for uniforml intensifying and dispersing the light in a l '85 directions, said means comprising a beaded surface 'on the device, thevbe aded surface receiving; the laterally" spread light by transmission through the said device.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

1-4;; U JOHN W; KELLY. 

